Overview Of The Rights-Based Approach To Youth Participation

Exclusion presents itself as a major problem is heterogeneity is pursued. According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary exclusion is “the state of being shut or kept out” (n.d) and this a major problem when it comes to youth participation and can present a serious threat to the future development of youths. As our opponent stated, “the intersectional nature of these forms of systemic discrimination experienced by young people deserves special attention” (OXFAM, 2016, as cited in Baksh, 2017, para.4) and while we agree, if youths continue to work in fragmented groups they themselves will be excluding their peers and adding to the exclusion their experience. Hence, the possibility exists that when those youths that operate as a heterogeneous

Together, they are actively involved in the decision-making process from start to finish and are given an opportunity to show their skills, and according to Hart, (1992) “it is unrealistic to expect them [youths] suddenly to become responsible, participating adult citizens at the age of 16, 18, or 21 without prior exposure to the skills and responsibilities involved.” (p.5) Thus, it is only fair that youths be given the opportunity from an early age to partake in decision-making, after all, it is their right. The rights-based approach to youth participation sees all youths despite their varied differences entitled to the opportunity to participate in the decision-making processes that affects their lives. Thanks to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Children’s Act within the Trinidad and Tobago Constitution and many other treaties and adopted declarations, young people are becoming increasingly informed of their rights and continue to speak out against the atrocities and injustices they face on a daily basis. The momentum is building and once they continue to work together as one large homogenous group, avoiding the exclusion of their peers and sharing and educating one another, we the members of group two sincerely believe that they can achieve tremendous